


Watchdog

by AzuraJae



Series: Study of Souls [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (Action at the end of the Fic), (PTSD is kinda minor on this one), Action, Canon - TV, Character Study, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:42:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7849102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzuraJae/pseuds/AzuraJae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was well known among himself and the other members of Voltron that Keith had a sharp nose when it came to Shiro. It was almost as if Keith had a special sense for Shiro - just like a loyal watchdog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Watchdog

**Author's Note:**

> For some reason, I really like making character study fics. This one is a sort of partner fic to my other character fanfic (which is centered on Keith) called Solitary Friendship, but you don't have to read it to understand this one. Though you should be able to make the connections between the two fics if you do read them. This fic is more centered on Shiro and what he thinks of Keith.
> 
> Thanks to my Beta Readers: Pix (PixothePixel), Candy (kumihomiko), Alphie (AlphaToronado). All of these guys can be found on tumblr, so check them out!
> 
> Also special thanks to mua beag from Discord for helping me beta this fic as well! :)

It was well known among himself and the other members of Voltron that Keith had a sharp nose when it came to Shiro. Although none of the other members has bothered to question it, Shiro knew that they probably had this certain behavioral trait all figured out. They had been together for many months after all.

To start things off, Keith was a prickly person by nature, mostly due to his jaded childhood. Like thorns themselves, he didn’t like it when people touched him or got too close. Keith didn’t particularly like to socialize with others and much prefered to be alone, but it didn’t mean he was cold and heartless. Despite popular belief, Keith had very much a kind heart and cared about people around him just as much as the next person - he just had difficulty trying to express it.

Other people didn’t bother to take the time to try understand Keith. So it was understandable to see why he would tend to drift to the outskirts of the crowd. Though when it came to, Keith also enjoyed conversing with people he trusted.

Nonetheless, it still surprised Shiro to see how the Garrison had been treating him. It took Shiro a while to realize what they were doing, but he eventually figured out that they had been forcibly isolating Keith away from the rest of the cadets. They cornered Keith into the spotlight, proclaiming he was the ‘best pilot of his generation’ which was an open invitation for the other cadets of his generation and beyond, to jealously resent him. Other occasions, instructors would continuously micromanage him, correcting his every single behavior - whether it was a mistake or not. 

This unspoken strategy to get Keith to be ‘broken in’, as the other instructors would say, sickened Shiro to the very core. He could say this because he himself had gone through a similar situation when he had been a cadet, but unlike Keith, Shiro had a good upbringing and a wonderful family. He knew how to deal with it and didn’t let the Garrison get to him. However, Keith did not have the same luxury.

Keith’s ability was highly desirable in the Earth Military, but getting him to be lenient to their arbitrary will was absolute. Moreover, Keith had no family waiting for him back home and made it much easier to use their disreputable discreet tactics to get him on a muzzle and leash.

So instead of sitting by and allowing such a thing to happen, like some other instructors who disagreed with the method, Shiro decided to approach and extend a hand of friendship to the antagonized teen.

Immediately, Shiro understood that Keith was much kinder and friendly than the tough outer shell led him to believe. Keith warmed up to Shiro much faster than he had expected, though it was still a lengthy process. Soon enough, Keith had accustomed himself right by Shiro’s side. Despite not being a trained professional in psychology, Shiro knew that Keith had some variation of abandonment issues to deal with. He had been alone for so long, that when a hand of kindness was stretched out, once Keith determined it’s true intentions, he quickly latched on and refused to let go.

It wasn’t hard to guess that Keith liked being around Shiro amongst other people. Considering much, not many other people wanted Keith’s company in the first place. Keith obediently listened to Shiro and wouldn’t hesitate to try find him if Shiro wasn’t around. Of course, Keith still liked to be on his own sometimes, but now that Shiro was in the picture, he didn’t hesitate trail behind him.

Since then, Keith had developed a sharp nose for anything going on around Shiro. His own personal ‘Shiro Sense’. 

One day, Keith had correctly guessed that he was feeling unwell.

“Shiro, are you okay?” Keith had asked in concern.

“I’m okay, buddy.” Shiro had replied, mildly surprised that he was able to guess that he was feeling a little under the weather. “Just a little tired is all.”

Keith had given him a look that said that he didn’t believe him, but shrugged. “If you’re feeling bad, just turn in for the night early. You don’t need to be checking up on everything so late everyday.”

Inasmuch, Shiro had known that he had a little sort of a guardian angel fluttering nearby. Keith would be just as antagonized if someone said something trashy about Shiro as he would if someone had insulted Keith himself. He became more alert when Shiro was feeling down and had hackles raised to attack in the event of confrontation. In turn, Keith developed a dislike for anyone Shiro disliked and he soon liked to do anything Shiro did. It was almost like Keith had imprinted on him.

In exchange for Keith’s oddity of a sharp sense, Shiro would do his best as a mentor and possibly even a family figure to Keith as he possibly could. When Keith’s temperament got out of hand, Shiro quelled his anger. If Keith decides impulsively to do something dangerous, Shiro would grab him by the scruff and make him think twice before doing so. Shiro would correct his mistakes and praise Keith when he did right. One thing that he told Keith to take to heart is that ‘Patience yields focus’ and since then Shiro had noticed Keith repeating the phrase like a mantra, as if it was to keep him sane.

The bond was considerably weakened when Shiro left Keith to attend the mission on Kerberos. Keith had warned him beforehand, that the mission could be dangerous and that  _ he  _ should think twice about going, but Shiro had thought it was just Keith not wanting to be separated from him.

He never would have thought that Keith could have been right.

At his time as a Galra Prisoner, Shiro had been forced to forget the happy times in the Garrison with Keith in trade for his desperate struggle to survive and return home. Shiro had also noticed that Keith’s absence had affected him somewhat. Shiro didn’t have the raw instinct and alertness that Keith had, and that had costed Shiro in many ways during his time as a captive.

His mind had been scrambled, thoughts were confusing. The unrelenting fear of potentially being killed or going back to Earth to find no one there; it was mind wracking. The memories were like a spider’s web, trapping him in and suffocating him in the silk tendrils. No matter how much he struggled, the memories would stick to him like the web. It was a treacherous part of Shiro’s life that he rather not remember.

When he finally made it back to Earth, Shiro didn’t have the warm welcome he had been expecting. Of course, he should have probably already known that the Garrison would be up to no good. After all, they were the ones who tried to bully talented pilots like Keith to isolation in effort to get them to bow their heads and heed their every command. As such, the Garrison ignored his desperate warnings of the Galra and had been supposedly ‘put under’, a word he had so dreaded to hear. Being put under meant that he had no hope of ever warning them about the Galra. 

All was lost.

But when Shiro opened his eyes, he was not in the metal walls of the Garrison, but was looking up at a rotten wood roof. A dry dusty smell was in the air, different than the purified air often pumped through the vicinity. When he looked around, Keith was the first notable individual he had seen. There were three hushed younger individuals packed in the corner of the room, but Keith had already come into full view upon seeing him awake.

“Shiro.” Keith said, watching him worriedly as he sat up. 

“Keith...is that really you?” asked Shiro, running his now metal fingers through his hair. Shiro was surprised he didn’t question the arm.

“It is.” replied Keith. Even though Keith had a solemn look on his face, he could almost see his tail wagging, indicating that he was happy to see him again.

Without another moment to lose, Keith had presented Shiro with his clothing, which Keith had somehow obtained possession of in his absence and Shiro got changed in the dusty storage area, that seemed like it was an added extension of the shack. After he got changed, Shiro informed Keith that he would like some fresh air and Keith let him out the door. Only then did it occur to Shiro why was Keith in this dustbin of a place. When he had left, Keith had been working hard to be a pilot at the Garrison.

Despite thinking he could grab the answers right away, Keith had replied offhandedly, rather bitterly, that he had been ‘booted’ from the Garrison for disciplinary issues. This fact appalled Shiro, after all, Keith had been on relatively good terms and behavior when he left, but judging by how inwardly distressed Keith seemed, Shiro had dropped the conversation off there and left to contemplate on his own thoughts in the desert outside.

It was hard to believe that nearly a full year had passed since he had been captured by the Galra. Things had undoubtedly changed and he was faced with the depressing idea that nothing will be the same again. Although Shiro had expected this, he didn’t expect it to have such a deep impact on him. He had imagined coming back to the Garrison and warning the world of the Galra, so they could better hope to protect their planet. Keith was there too, by his side, as his friend. Shiro soon realized that this was his own happily-ever-after delusion he had created in his moment of suffering, to help motivate him to return back to his planet, in hopes of saving it and everyone on it.

On the other hand, Keith had hardened from their last meeting together. Although he was still very much the same tough-shelled Keith, he seemed to be much more tight-lipped about his thoughts and feelings than before. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is his alertness for Shiro, which Shiro didn’t think he would miss when he left for Kerberos.

In the amazing turn of events, Shiro wouldn’t have guessed that he, Keith, and the three tagalong cadets, Pidge, Lance, and Hunk, would be dragged across this galaxy adventure. Though it had it’s ups and downs, Shiro felt himself assimilating into this new life of adventure much easier than he thought he would. Of course, he was terrified of the idea of going back to the Galra and face them head on, but this time he had a team behind his back. 

And Red Paladin Keith, despite all that has changed, still had his back - harder as ever. 

Despite initially believing that all was well with Keith and they could resume having their oddity of a relationship, Shiro knew that he was missing out on an entire year where he had been absent from Keith’s life. And in that one year Keith had changed.

On one of the rare forbearing days in the journey in the Castle of Lions, where he did not feel plagued by the nightmares of the Galra, Shiro had sought to find out what had happened to Keith in his absence. In reality, Shiro knew that it was really none of his business to indulge in people’s pasts and he really wasn’t Keith’s keeper, but it was a curiosity nonetheless.

After all, Keith has never spoken much of his time in the desert, other than what had been already said. He never confided in Shiro about the year he was missing. None of the other people aboard the castle-ship knew. Not even Allura’s mice could find out. That time was a shrouded mystery.

“Well, Keith kinda hung around for a while after the news were saying you died and all.” Lance had said, when Shiro had asked him one day. 

Shiro sniffed. “Did Keith tell you anything back at the Garrison?” 

“Tell  _ me? _ ” Lance scoffed, nearly spitting out the space goo he was snacking on. “Please, he didn’t even think to look twice my way when he storms by. Some rival he is.”

Shiro’s heart sank when he heard those words. He had always known about the tension between Lance and Keith, but had known it was the Garrison’s fault for causing Lance to develop such a general disdain for Keith. When Shiro had asked Hunk, he had testified to the idea that Keith was not well-liked among other cadets, Lance included. Fortunately, their friendship had been improving; though it was still rocky at best.

WhenShiro gave Lance a disapproving look, Lance grumbled a bit, but sighed.

“I only shared one class with him, but I  _ did  _ hear of a rumor though.” Lance said, twirling his spoon “He had gotten into a bad fight with the higher ups and was kicked out because of it. I hadn’t seen him since then, until we came to rescue you.” Lance stuffed a spoonful of food goo into his mouth. “I thought he went home, but I guess not.”

“I see.” Shiro said disappointedly. He was hoping for a more concrete answer, but he digressed. “Thanks for the info, Lance.”

“No problem.” responded Lance, his mouth muffled from the food.

Shiro had left the conversation feeling rather unfulfilled, but then again, Keith had never been open about the past. He was quick to move on from any events, something Shiro wish he could do from his time as prisoner. Even now, Shiro didn’t know much about him as he would’ve liked.

His childhood was something Keith never spoke about. Before his time at the Garrison, Shiro knew nothing about Keith; only that he was listed as ‘orphan’ on files. Keith might have mentioned once or twice about the absence of a family, but that was it. This year in the desert was an exception as well.

In spite of his troubled thoughts on the matter, it still didn’t change the fact that Keith had latched onto him once again. And with that thought, Shiro had let go on the matter and didn’t try to divulge any further information on it. He was sure that someday, Keith would be willing to share his feelings and past. He hoped.

Sometime in the future, after a very stressful day, Shiro had been modestly troubled about the recurring nightmares and flashbacks to life as a prisoner. He had wounded up sitting absent-mindedly in the command deck of the ship, staring off into the endless stars.

There had been a time, when he thought space held the limitless wonder of adventure, but since then the idea had lost it’s luster. Now he saw space like a giant pit of suffocating quicksand, quick to swallow up someone’s existence without anything left behind. As if a siren went off, Keith had soon found his way quietly by his side. He silently sat nearby, accompanying Shiro - almost like he was making sure that Shiro didn’t feel alone.

Even though he didn’t say anything, Shiro enjoyed Keith’s quiet company. Knowing that there was someone nearby felt reassuring. 

“Space was beautiful.” Shiro had said, after a while, wanting to break the silence between them.

Keith blinked. “It isn’t anymore?”

“Not really.” Shiro paused. “Not like what I thought it was, anyway.”

Keith didn’t speak for a few ticks.

“Are you scared of them?” questioned Keith tentatively. It didn’t take a genius to guess who ‘they’ were.

“I guess you can say that.” answered Shiro. “Nightmares don’t fade easily.” He chuckled dryly.

“You’re safe now.” said Keith factually, almost like he was making sure Shiro didn’t forget.

“I could always be recaptured.” Shiro responded, well aware that he was letting stress slide into his voice.

Keith suddenly turned his head, drawing Shiro’s gaze into his sharp dark eyes. 

“ _ I _ have your back.” Keith said strongly. “They won’t even have a chance.”

Shiro raised his eyebrows questionably, but before he could open his mouth to speak, Keith spoke once again.

“I’ll be your watchdog.” Keith added.

Amused, Shiro let out a heartfelt laugh. “Is that so?” Even though his heart was heavy, hearing a gentle voice of reassurance quelled his unsteadiness inside. “I’m glad you have my back.”

**-~*~-**

This excursion had only meant to be a data retrieval for potential info about Galra’s quintessence whereabouts. Unfortunately, fate had a different plan that day and Shiro was face to face with one of the Galra’s many bird-faced druids. Dodging a surge of purple sparks, Shiro ducked behind a control panel as he wracked his mind for a plan to escape.

Only one other person ever fought a druid, and that was Keith, but like so many times, Keith didn’t really talk about the fight that much. Only that he had been severely outmatched and had been forced to flee. Keith’s only warning was that if any other of the paladins ever encountered one, the best option would be to run away. However, running away wasn’t an option, as the druid was closely guarding Shiro’s main escape route. Shiro had considered trying to fit himself in the vents, but unlike Pidge, his figure was way too bulky for the small metal enclosures.

Shiro quickly rolled out of the way when a web of electricity suddenly short circuited the control panel he was hiding behind, causing it to explode. Jumping on his feet, Shiro changed into a more offensive position and pulled out his hand to see if he can throw in a hit. Before he could do anything, Shiro had been knocked roughly aside, causing him to staggar. It had teleported to the other side of him before Shiro had time to even blink and sent a powerful bolt right to his side. However, thankfully, the attack hit his armor and protected him from it’s severity. Though it still hurt.

Dazed from the shock, Shiro tried his best to get on his feet again, but his body wouldn’t listen. Just like the control panel earlier, it was like his mind had been fried by the Druid’s onslaught of attacks. Managing to get on his feet, Shiro blearily looked up trying to figure out what is happening. The druid slowly teleported closer, tilting it’s head as if it was amused at watching it’s prey struggle. Shiro desperately blinked, trying to get the blurriness in his vision to clear up, but it was already too late. The druid was a few meters away from him, holding up one if it’s clawed hands as it lit up in a display of lightning.

It rushed towards him and Shiro closed his eyes, gritting for the impact.

Only for the pain to never arrive.

The paladin opened his eyes just his time to see a blur of white and red slam straight into the druid’s side. Confused, Shiro watched the druid teleport away before it could hit the ground, causing the blurred shape to lose it’s balance and sprawl on the floor. Before a tick passed, the blurry shape was up and at it, quickly coming to Shiro’s side.

“Shiro!” The voice urgently said.

It was Keith.

Almost as instantly as Keith’ touched his shoulder did his vision finally clear up. Shiro’s eyes met Keith and a flood of relief washed over him. Keith faced him, looking as equally relieved to see Shiro as he was to see Keith.

“Keith,” Shiro said shakily, slowly regaining his composure. “Am I glad-”

But he was cut off.

“Watch out!”

Keith suddenly grabbed the side of his shoulder roughly and pushed him aside. Shiro looked just in time to see Keith pull up his energy shield to take a ball of purple electricity at point blank. As the energy hit the shield, there was a loud spark as the impact caused an explosion. 

Holding up his hands to shield his face from the explosion, Shiro quickly stood up and through the smoky mess could see that Keith had been thrown back by the explosion. The Red Paladin’s body was sprawled on his back, his arm draped limply on his stomach - the arm that had been holding up the shield. He was motionless. For a moment, Shiro’s heart stopped and a surge of panic bubbled in his mind, but Keith suddenly convulsed and sat up. Upon seeing the younger paladin moving, Shiro breathed a sigh of relief. Exchanging glances, Keith hopped on his feet and dragged his feet to Shiro was. Shiro noted that he was injured, but fortunately it didn’t look too bad. 

“We gotta go.” He said hurriedly, grabbing Shiro’s arm and tugging it in the direction of the exit. He looked around wildly, obviously keeping an eye out for the druid.

Nodding, Shiro gently pushed Keith towards the door. “You lead.” He wanted to make sure that Keith wasn’t the one with the possibility of being zapped at from behind. After all he had just taken one pretty bad there.

Without a moment to lose, the two paladins exited through the doors. Just as they left, Shiro whirled around and slashed the panel at the side with his hand; breaking the panel and any hopes of getting the door open that way. They both knew that the druid could easily teleport through, it still bought them enough time to try escape.

“This way.” Keith said, one hand on his stomach and the other gripped his bayard. He gestured for a hallway.

Without waiting to see if Shiro nodded, Keith impulsively started running down the hall, but Shiro was not far behind. Keith knew that. It was only a matter of time before they made it out of the metal facility. Behind some large rock outcrops, Lance and Hunk were fending off a large group of Galra Sentries; gunning one down after another. 

Upon coming into contact with the sentries, Keith and Shiro made quick work of them, giving the paladins a fighting chance to escape. 

Suddenly, a roar from above caused everyone on the battlefield to look up. The Green Lion flew into view, crying loudly as it landed on the Galra soldiers. It picked up a few in it’s mouth, throwing them aside like rag dolls.

“Hurry up!” Pidge’s voice sounded over the comm, which was now functional since they were outside the building. “Allura said that reinforcements are coming, we gotta leave before they get here!”

“Roger that, Pidge.” Shiro responded, taking down a stray sentry with one swipe of his hand. 

He heard a noise behind him and saw that Keith had taken down a Galra sentry behind him who was way too close for comfort. Keith gestured for Shiro to lead the way. Lance and Hunk had already made their way to where the Green Lion stood it’s ground, using a particle shield to block the incoming rapid fire of more sentries emerging from the building.

The Green Lion bent down, opening it’s mouth, allowing the rest of the Paladins to climb in. When it had been Keith’s and Shiro’s turn to get on, Keith had given Shiro a hard look.

“You first.” Keith said.

Although Shiro wanted to say something in response, an rumble behind him told him that it was no time to argue. He climbed on and reached a hand to Keith to help him up. In a sudden, the ground beneath them shook, a sign that the particle barrier was fading. Keith quickly jumped up and grabbed Shiro’s arm.

As the Green Lion took off from the planet, Shiro quickly and surely pulled Keith from dangling from it’s mouth. After all the Paladins were securely inside,  the Green Lion offered a farewell laser beam and the team departed from the Galra cesspool without a second thought. They flew to the Castle of Lions, where they made their escape through a readily timed wormhole.

When the team had made it inside the castle, Shiro was quick to escort Keith to where the Medical Pods were, insisting that he go in there to rest for his injuries, however small they may be. Keith had quickly tried to wave off the hand on his stomach, but after he had given Keith a stern look, the Red Paladin had relented and trudged after Shiro to the Med Bay.

After both Paladins removed their armor, Coran inspected Keith’s stomach, which had taken a surge of Galra magic after it had torn straight through his energy shield. 

“It’s not serious. The energy shield softened the blow, but you’re a lucky man, Keith. It could have been much worse.” Coran said. He looked at Shiro, rubbing his hands together. “It’s a miracle you didn’t get hit too.”

Shiro felt a smile creep into his mouth and glanced at Keith, who was being shooed into one of the pods. “They never had a chance to.” But Keith pointed to the black singe on Shiro’s armor. “They did get my armor though.”

Coran merely grinned and dusted his hands on his pants. Then he picked up the discarded armor and started walking towards the exit of the Med Bay. “Well, I’m going to spruce up armor for the next battle. Making start working on a stronger energy shield for future druid encounters. Shiro, make sure Keith makes it into the Pod all right.”

“You got it.” Shiro said, looking Keith, who had uncomfortably taken one step into the Med Pod.

When Shiro started walking towards him, Keith quickly hopped inside, to save himself from any more lectures or scolding. He gave a gentle expectant look to Shiro, which was his version of an okay. Giving a thumbs up in response, Shiro went to the control panel on the side and clicked a few buttons. The door shut, trapping Keith inside. In the moment as the machine started up, the two locked eyes for a moment.

“How did you know where to come find me?” Shiro asked, as Keith’s eyes began to droop shut.

The familiarity of the question made Shiro feel like he had been covered in goosebumps. In a time not so long ago, he had asked the same question to Keith when they had been in the desert.

Earlier, Shiro had gone in to do some convoy data collection after the rest of the team got held up by a bunch of sentries outside. Before he knew it, he had been cornered by the facility’s druid and had been backed into the Command Hub of the building located almost at the other side of the building. Even before they went on the mission, Pidge and Hunk both warned the other members that a unique energy pulse had caused comms or tracking systems to malfunction.

It was a miracle all on it’s own that Keith managed to find his way towards him without the use of comms or the trackers. However, a soft thought at the back of Shiro’s mind reminded him that Keith always had a sharp nose when it came to him.

Keith said in response tiredly. “I knew.” 

Just as he said those words, Keith’s eyes fell shut slowly, not opening again, dropping his head a little forward. A puff of air inside indicated that the cryogenic gas had froze Keith’s current condition and had begun repairing all damaged vessels. Shiro watched quietly as the glass that kept Keith in darkened and a light lit atop the pod as evidence that it was currently being occupied.

Shiro smiled, watching Keith sleeping contently in the healing pod.

“You really are my watchdog.” Shiro murmured to himself.

**Author's Note:**

> I like to headcanon Keith to be like Shiro's personal watchdog.
> 
> I mean, Keith gets so energetic when it comes to Shiro xD


End file.
